HEARTWOOD CHAPTER

We had an influx of monarch caterpillars beginning the 2nd week of February just prior to the freezes that occurred in Brazoria County.  Our native such as hummingbird bush, butterfly weed, penstemon and duranta were all in bloom.  I found approximately fifty monarch caterpillars on the butterfly weed, about 10-15 each morning of the nights that we had a freeze.  Prior to this I had seen numerous butterflies in our yard that looked like monarchs but could have been Gulf fritallaries.  However, after checking, I found no fritallary chrysalis or caterpillars on their  primary food plants still blooming in our yard (i.e. passionflower).  I concluded that the monarchs were the butterflies that I had been watching.  Apparently eggs were laid on the butterfly week and hatched into caterpillars who quickly ate the remaining plant leaves.

 

I collected the caterpillars, most of which were normal size.  I brought them inside to a pot that had butterfly weed cuttings and was covered by a net.  Over the weeks I had 48 chrysalis and 46 of those hatched into monarchs.  I used these specimens to show children in our environmental education program.  I have a net tent for bugs in which I kept them with wet mud that I added banana, applesauce and honey every other day.  These butterflies were very healthy and active with most living for 3-4 weeks.  I released approximately 34 when the danger of freeze had passed.

 

I have no clue if the monarchs were north or south bound.  They did leave our yard in a northerly direction. This experience occurred in pockets around Brazoria County as reported by several elementary teachers who took caterpillars to their classrooms and let the students see them hatch.

 

I have always believed that the monarchs do breed on their way to Mexico as in 20 years at this location we always have had monarch caterpillars hatching out of chrysalis into butterflies.

 

At this time everything is dormant from the freezes.  I expect that we will see monarchs when the leaves return in April.

 

Laura Brandes

TMN, Cradle of Texas